Final 2 too much for Miners

If Jim Petrik could have had his birthday wish come true, it would have been that the Beulah girls’ basketball games last week only lasted three quarters. Instead the first-year Miner head coach got one year older and two losses richer.

Beulah dropped a hard fought 53-35 decision to Hazen Jan. 29 followed by a 70-46 defeat at the hands of Dickinson Trinity last Saturday. In both games, the score was close going into final quarter but the Miners only scored twice in the final eight minutes to let the games slip away.

Beulah officially locked up the third place seed in District 14 Tournament that will begin Feb. 13 in Hazen.

Hazen 53, Beulah 35

The first time the two Mercer County rivals met Jan. 2, Hazen cruised to a 69-55 win. If the first possession of last Thursday’s game was any indication, it was going to be another long night for the Miners. Hazen controlled the ball for the entire first minute of action, shooting four times and getting the rebounds before Bison Stef Bohrer finally knocked in two from the free-throw line.

The Miners were missing their height in senior Jessie Battest, who missed the game while attending a scholarship competition at Concordia College.

Junior Kylie Flemmer proved her worth immediately entering the game and getting several steals and drive opportunities including the one at 8-6 to take a Beulah lead.

"(Flemmer) did a great job of handling the press and taking the ball to the hoop," Petrik said. "Overall she’s not real big in size but she works hard and can bang with the best of them."

Hazen was on the receiving end of several bumps as Jenna Maas ended the first quarter making a pair from the free-throw line and a 9-8 Bison lead.

Hazen’s sole senior Brianna Beecher opened scoring in the second quarter with a 3-point basket. Beulah’s defense started in triangle and put a chaser on Bohrer and Allison Opp. If either of them got the ball, they faced an instant double to triple team situation.